Sliding door structure



May 3, 1932- A. BrrToRF 1,856,235

SLIDI NG DOOR STRUCTURE Filed July 17, 1930 rif/1111711111 fo 7"/Jozzwaloy Patented May 3, 1932 UNIED STATES PATENT `OFFICE LOUIS A.BITTORF, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS SLIDIN G DOORSTRUCTURE Application filed July 17,

My invention relates generally to sliding door structure and has to doparticularly with means for supporting the door and moving it along atrack. This application is a continuation in part ot my copendingapplication, Serial No. 196,670, tiled June (i, 199,7, for sliding doorstructure.

@ne of the objects ci my invention is to provide tor so adj ustablyconnecting the door to the carriage supporting structure that in theevent of saggingl or warping, or the like, the door may be readily andquickly adjusted without disturbing the already-assembled parts. To thisond, I employ a strong and durable bracket for direct connection to thedoor and an adjustable connection between this bracket and the carriagestructure, the bracket being oi such forni and construction as to aid inand permit of adjustment of the parts without removal of the bracket,which construction also adds to the strength and ci'iicicncy anddurability of the bracket itself.

@ther objects and advantages will become apparent as this descriptionprogresses and by reference to the drawings, wherein,"

Figure l is a iront elevational View, partially in section, ot one formof structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 ofFig. l;

Ifig. 3 is a sectional view ot a inodiiied torni ot door hangerembodying my invetnion; and

Iig. 4 is a transverse sectional view ot the structure shown in Fig. 3.

`btetei-ring 'to the drawings, and particularly to 1,1 may employ abracket 6 formed, preferably, but not necessarily, of two pieces securedtogether as by the rivets 7, the bracket being substantially of theshape as shown in lilig. 2 and having the inwardly projecting llanges oupon which the track 8 is carried. This bracket G is also provided witha cent ally disposed rib 6b which adds greatly to its strength anddurability.

The rectangularly shaped track 8 has internal trackways 8a with theupturned contining ilanges 8b. The space 8c between the flanges 8b isfor a purpose which will become obvious later. The track is, preferably,

1930. Serial No. 468,477.

formed by a plurality of sections 8X and SY joined end to end as at SZto form a complete track. In the assembly ot the track sections, theends thereoi are brought together within and are supported by thebracket 6. For obvious reasons, there is clearance between the track 8and the bracket 6 as indicated at 9 in Fig. 2. To anchor these meetingtrack ends in such a way that they will be positively fixed andmaintained in a definite joined position so that they will alwayspresent a smooth track surface, I provide the top portion of the bracket6 with external bosses 10 having threaded openings passing therethroughand adapted to receive the 'set screws ll. The screws 11 pass throughthe top ot the bracket 6 at substantially its central portion and havetheir inwardly projecting ends tapered to a sharp point as at lla.

Openings 12 are provided in the top ot the track adjacent each meetingend and in alignment with the openings in the bosses l0. These openings,which are smaller in diameter than the screws l1, receive the taperedends ll:l of such screws.

To adjust and tix the adjoining track ends in the desired position, theyare inoved to the abutting position shown in Fig. l, whereupon thescrews il are screwed inwardly with their tapered ends passing throughthe openings l2, such screws being drawn down tightly to clamp the trackagainst the inwardly extending bottom langes 6a on the support G. Thescrews ll may be drawn down separately ory at the saine time and tovariable extents so` as to insure that each track section is properlyanchored and that the joint presents a smooth track surface. If desired,the openings l2 may be omitted so that the sharp endsW of the screws 11will engage and indent the top surface of the track when such screws areadjusted as above set forth.

The carriage structure has a body 13 with wheels 1li adapted to becarried by the trackA 8 in the usual manner, as shown in Fig. 9.. 'Ihecentral portion of the body 13 is provided with a vertical hub l5adapted to rotatably receive a headed depending support pin 16 which hasa threaded portion extending downwardly through the opening 8C ofthetrack Jfor attachment to the door bracket 17. The bracket 17 is L-shapedand is attached to the door 18 by bolts 23. It is highly desirable toprovide for adjustment of the bracket and door because the door may warpor sag making operation of the saine dillicult or of a highlyundesirable nature. lt is also desirable to provide means for effectingadjustment to compensate for such warping or sagging without disassemblyof the parts in View o'l the great inconvenience that would beexperienced after the structure had been completely assembled and inuse. To accomplish this adjustment in accordance with my invention, thebracket 17 is provided with a centrally disposed and hollow longitudinalrib 19. An opening 20 is provided in the horizontal leg ot the rib whichis adapted to receive the threaded. end of the pin 16. The `pin 16 mayhave an exceptionally long threaded portion to take care of adjustments`over a wide range so that it proj eets through the bracket 17 aconsiderable distance as shown in Fig. 2. ln that case, an opening isprovided in the adjacent part of the door to receive the inwardlyextending end of the pin. in securing the bracket 17 upon the threadedportion 01"' the pin, a lock nut 2l (Fig. 2) is first screwed onto thedepending tend of said pin. The pin is then passed A4through the opening20 and the adjusting nut 22 is applied and drawn up to the desired position. The lock nut 21 is drawn down tight- ,ly to lock these parts inposition. adjustment may be readily and quickly accomplished withoutremoval ot any ot the parts merely by loosening the lock nut 21 to thedesired extent and turning the pin 1G in one direction or the other asthe adjustment re quires. After this adjustment, the lock nut 21 isagain tightened up. The rectangularly shaped rib 19 makes` possible theadjustment as explained by holding the nut 22 stationary while the pinis turned. This rib is of such a character as to conceal the adjustingnut 22 and pin end to protect such parts from the weather and itsdeteriorating ellects. It further serves to strengthen the bracket 17and rend yr the same capable of withstanding greater load and addselliciency over a greater period of time.

lin the modified in Figs. 3 and il, l shaped brackets 8O and 31 to thebracket 6 of the i'ioiin et i io: l These brackets havecentrally-disposed, nollovv ribs Se and 35 which are of such relativesize that the outwardly projecting ribs nest one within the other whenthe brackets are mounte on the d oor in the manner illustrated in thedrawings. These ribs are provided with longitudinal slots 36, 87 whichalign with each other in the nested position of the brackets -for thereception of the threaded end of the stem 38 depending from the doorcarriage structure. rl`he brackets are provided with suitable openingsJfor the reception of fastening devices for securing` the same to thedoor on opposite sides of the latter and the door is attached to itscarrying-trolley in the same manner as illustrated and described inconnection with the form of Figs. 1 vand 2. The manner of adjustment,and further operation, of Athis modilied form o'l' structure is the sameas that already described in `connection with the form Yof the previousfigures.

Although l have shown and described only two embodiments of myinvention, it is obvious that various .changes in details andarrangements of parts may be made without departing from the spirit andscope ci Imy invention defined 4by the claim which follows. it will befurther understood that my invention is not limited to use with asliding door structure as described, but may also be used in conjunctionwith any sliding panel, or the like, where similar conditions are to beinet.

l claim:

in garantis of the character described, compr ing a track, a carriagesupported by and movable along said track, a depending connector freelyrotatably connected to the -arriage, said connector having a threadedend portion and an exposed unthreaded intermediate portion vadapted tobe engaged for adjusting the connector, a ba het member adapted to beattached to the door, said bra ckhaving a horizontally disposed inwardlyprojecting portion substantially overhangingthe upper edge oit' the dooranda hollow rectangular rib open at one end Jfoi-med in the horizontallydisposed portion ol' the bracket and adapted to receive the threadedportion of the connector, an adjusting nut positioned within the ribthrough its open end and engaging a wall of the i'ib so as to be heldagainst rotation for cooperating with the threads of the connector toadjust said door vertically as the connector is rotated relative to thenut, without disturbing the assembly relation between the carriage andthe connector, and a lock nut carried by the connector and engaging theadjacentside of the rib for maintaining the connector and ldoor `intheir adjusted positions.

LOUIS A. BITTORF.

